1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to chairs, specifically to a highly adjustable massage chair.
2. Prior Art
A massage chair is a specially constructed chair on which a person sits for receiving a massage. A typical massage chair includes a seat for supporting a person's buttocks, a leg support positioned forwardly and below the seat for supporting the lower legs in a bent position, a chest support positioned forwardly and above the seat for supporting the chest in a forwardly inclined position, a face support positioned above and generally inline with the chest support for supporting the face, and an arm support positioned forwardly and below the chest support for supporting the arms in front of the chest.
Most massage chairs are foldable for transportation to a client's location for an on-site massage, so that they incorporate hinges on the supports for folding. Most supports are not adjustable in angle or height, so that they merely unfold into a single, open position. Although some chairs have seats that are adjustable in height, most have chest supports that are not height adjustable. Examples of such chairs include the "SomaChair" and "TechLight" by SomaTech International; the "Nomad" by Custom Craftworks; the "Golden Ratio Seven Point Quicklite Chair" by Golden Ration Woodworks; the "Pak-A-Chair" by G&A Manufacturers; the "On-Site D'Lite" by Stronglite; the "EasyChair" by Blue Ridge Tables, Inc. and TouchAmerica, Inc.; the "Tatum Spotlight" by Tatum Light; the chair disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,167 to Palmer (1988); and the chair disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,040 (1990). The non-adjustable supports may not fit most users, so that these chairs may be uncomfortable.
The "Porto Pro" massage chair by Oakworks, Inc. provides a height adjustable chest support. It includes a seat and a chest support attached to the top ends of a pair of scissoring arms, the bottom ends of which serve as legs of the chair. When the arms are opened, the seat and chest support are lowered, and when the arms are closed, the seat and chest support are raised. However, the angle of the chest support is fixed relative to the arm it is mounted on, so that it is not adjustable to fit different users. Furthermore, closing the arms to raise the seat and chest support also moves the legs closer together, so that the chair becomes less stable.
Although some chairs include face supports that are adjustable in tilt, their pivot points are fixed relative to the chest support, so that they may be positioned too far forward or backward relative to the plane of the chest support for some users. Most chairs also have structural members awkwardly positioned between the chest and leg supports, so that a user must mount the chair by swinging one leg over the seat in the same manner as mounting a bicycle, which would be embarrassing for women wearing skirts or dresses. Furthermore, all prior art chairs include arm supports that are fixed in distance from the chest supports, and chest supports that are fixed in distance from the face supports, so that such chairs may not fit all users.